Christine Fréchette has officially been sworn in as the new premier of Quebec, becoming only the second woman in the province’s history to hold the office.
Her appointment marks a major political transition in Quebec and comes at a critical time, with a provincial election scheduled for October. Fréchette succeeds François Legault and now takes over leadership of the Coalition Avenir Québec.
In her first address after being sworn in, Fréchette said serving as premier is an immense responsibility and pledged to defend the interests of Quebecers every day. She positioned herself as an economic nationalist, promising to focus on growth, affordability and stronger support for local industries.
The 55-year-old leader follows in the footsteps of Pauline Marois, who became Quebec’s first female premier in 2012. Marois said she felt pride seeing another woman take on the role, calling it an important moment for women across the province.
Fréchette built her campaign around the economy rather than divisive identity politics. She has promised to strengthen Quebec-made products and services in government contracts, support small and medium-sized businesses, improve access to home care, expand telemedicine and announce new cost-of-living measures in the coming days.
She also reaffirmed support for protecting the French language and Quebec culture, describing them as central to the province’s identity. On immigration, she said Quebec must remain both humane and realistic, balancing labour needs with the province’s ability to welcome and integrate newcomers.
Before entering provincial politics, Fréchette led the Chambre de commerce de l’Est de Montréal. She was first elected in 2022 and later held key cabinet portfolios including the economy and immigration.
Her immediate challenge will be reviving the fortunes of the CAQ, which faces strong competition from the Quebec Liberal Party, the Parti Québécois and the provincial Conservatives ahead of the October vote.
Fréchette is expected to unveil her cabinet next week, a move that will offer the first clear signal of how she plans to reshape both her party and Quebec’s political direction. Her rise reflects not only a leadership change, but a broader debate about Quebec’s future economy, identity and place within Canada.